


Who You Used To Be

by dontknowmyname (wwwbmoney)



Category: Dream Team - Fandom, Dreamwastaken, GeorgeNotFound - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dream Team SMP Setting (Video Blogging RPF), Angst, Dream Team SMP - Freeform, Internal Conflict, Longing, M/M, Prison, Sad, briefmentionsofothercharacters, dreamisinprison, idkhowitendstbh, randomupdates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:21:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29483631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wwwbmoney/pseuds/dontknowmyname
Summary: Dream is put in prison and everyone on the server seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and victory. But upon hearing the news, George is forced to find a balance between the simultaneous feelings of betrayal and longing he's experiencing.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Kudos: 4





	1. Numb

Days flew by. 

Soon they slipped into weeks. 

All concept of time was lost as he struggled to separate himself from the chaos that had overtaken his home. 

He remembered when things were simple. When he would run into Sapnap and Dream at the community house and they’d set off to go do something together. When their greatest concern was monsters finding a way into their latest construction project. When even their fiercest arguments dissipated in the span of a few hours. 

It all seemed like a distant memory; now, he felt nothing. 

He dragged his feet along the prime path, only in the hours when he knew the server was asleep, for fear of running into someone and getting drawn into a conversation he didn’t want to have. He couldn’t help but watch as the server seemingly crumbled around him. 

It pained him to see the way Tubbo and Tommy clung to each other, like he might tear them apart again. The way Ranboo isolated himself with Techno and Phil, afraid to hurt his friends anymore than he already had. The way Sapnap came and visited him after patrolling the prison, hurt in his eyes and exhaustion on his face. 

Because of him. 

George saw the humanity draining from his eyes long before they did. Hours and hours of time spent together familiarized George with every detail on his face, imprinted every single one of his facial expressions in his mind. 

He vividly remembered the day he felt things change. 

-

It had been a week since Tommy had griefed his house. He had been sitting at the spider spawner, trying to mend his armor after a fight with Sapnap, and Dream tagged along to keep him company. Conversation was light, normal. Then the discussion shifted to the server’s recent events. George didn’t remember their exact words, all of his thoughts blurred together, eyes trained on the man before him. 

He saw the glint in his eyes as he spoke about visiting Tommy in exile. His voice lost the lightheartedness he seemed to reserve for their conversations. His words were laced with greed, with desire. George nearly shuddered, as a cold feeling of unfamiliarity crept into his heart, beginning to lose sight of everything he loved about Dream. 

-

It was weeks since that had happened. And since then, George had only distanced himself further. He couldn’t bear to look at the server or its inhabitants: he was only reminded of all the pain he caused. He couldn’t bear to acknowledge that something that once brought him so much joy, now served as a reminder of all the heartbreak and destruction that had ensued. 

He woke up every morning, restless and ashamed that he missed Dream’s familiar warmth as the sun rose and the server hummed to life. He was constantly scolding himself, trying to rewire his brain, trying to move past the persistent ache in his chest when he let himself reminisce. He was forced to fight the same internal battles day and day again. A relentless routine he had begun to settle into. But, he felt as though he was finally beginning to numb himself to the pain. He was able to see Sapnap without running from all the memories that accompanied his voice. He was starting to remember who he had been before Dream flipped his world upside down, before he became something George didn’t know how to exist without. 

Then he was put in jail. 

Sapnap delivered the news as soon as he’d left him with Sam at the prison. George made no effort to speak. He walked to his room and shut the door gently, so as to demonstrate some composure in front of his guest. But as soon as his front door clicked and he heard the footsteps begin to fade away, he broke. He sought consolation in the thin sheets of his bed, finding none. He lay, blank expression in his eyes, as hot tears spilled down his cheeks. The walls he spent so much time building up came crashing down, waves of emotion rolling in, sweeping up the rubble of his emotional facade in their wake. 

His face was caked with dry tears as the sun began to peek over the horizon; it was only then that he was able to drift into a light sleep, almost in an effort to avoid the harsh reality of the morning.


	2. Giving In

It was like the world didn’t want him to heal. 

He ran from everything for so long, hoping if he left it far enough behind the geographical distance would somehow erase the deep attachment that chained him to the past. But, he was tired. It was impossible to escape when the walls seemed to close in every time he neared freedom. He’d see a ray of hope in the distance, relieved that he might still be able to salvage the remains of himself, only to be sent reeling backwards by some new information, some new heartbreak. 

\- 

Sapnap knew the way to George’s house by heart. But when he left the prison he forgot all sense of direction. He blindly wandered around the server until he mentally resurfaced enough to see that darkness had fallen. The night was unforgiving; Sapnap nearly felt the stars taunting him, reminding him that no matter how hard he tried there was no hiding. Not this time. He willed his legs to move and, hesitantly, he began the familiar trudge to George’s house. 

When he reached the familiar spruce door, a fresh feeling of guilt sprung up in stomach. He knew he wasn’t to blame, but somehow he still felt at fault for the way his words were sure to cause pain the minute they left his mouth. He fell into a trance, fear clouding his mind as he unknowingly rapped on the door. Realization hit him like an anvil when George appeared in the door frame.

He felt the, now familiar, pang of guilt and sympathy that seemed to accompany George’s presence. Sapnap knew he was trying, but the exhaustion and hurt were visible under his eyes and in the lines of his face. When he finally met his gaze, Sapnap detached himself from the situation and spoke. He hoped George could hear the sympathy in his words. He exhaled when he was finished, watching the huff of clouds that trailed from his lips to distract himself from the silence that had fallen upon them. He knew George well enough not to expect a response. So he simply looked down, and kept his eyes on his feet as he silently turned to walk away, leaving George frozen in the doorway. 

-

It had been just over a week since Sapnap had unintentionally severed the last strand of restraint tethering George to reality. 

It seemed like the sun had begun to avoid his windows. Fresh air seemed to halt once it neared his house. There was no distinction between day and night. The days bled into each other and he had lost any regard for how much time was passing. 

Sapnap had tried to stop by several times over the following week. He was met by nothing but silence from the inside of the house. On the other side of the door George would force his tears to subside until he heard the soft crunching of boots on dirt trailing off into the distance. 

-

One night George let his remaining sense of emotion get the best of him. He forced himself upright and dragged himself to the window nearest to his bed. For the first time in weeks he granted his lungs a breath of fresh air. He let the cold night air pour through the windows, closing his eyes, still unready to acknowledge the existence of the world beyond the walls of his home. The wind whistled in his ears, seemingly echoing the dangerous ideas beginning to take root in his head. Before he could stop himself, he turned from the window and scanned the room for a pair of shoes and a coat. 

He braced himself for the cold, but chills erupted on his skin even before he stepped foot outside. George took a minute to envision the path to his destination and willed himself forward before he could convince himself otherwise. 

Before long he was met with a blackstone archway. He was rooted to the spot, struggling to keep his breaths even as the emotional weight of the past week seemingly hit him all at once. 

How could I bring myself here? I should’ve stayed inside. I know I’m going to regret this.

But, now that the prison stood towering before him he knew he wouldn’t be able to pull himself away. A gust of cold wind hit his back, urging him to step foot inside. Hesitantly, he padded over the blackstone to where he knew a button rested on the wall, staying completely silent as if he wasn’t the only soul awake. His cold fingers lie on the button for what seemed like an eternity, before he willed himself to make yet another bad decision that night. He stepped back and waited. And waited. And waited. The still silence of the prison entryway was suffocating; regret pooled in the bottom of his stomach as the minutes stretched on. 

And then his thoughts were violently interrupted. 

Sam appeared before him, exhaustion evident in his movements, clearly shocked that someone was summoning him at this hour. 

But he was stunned awake when he realized who was standing opposite him. He hadn’t seen George in weeks: no one had. And now, at 3 in the morning, he was standing feet away from him, looking bewildered and broken beyond repair. 

“What are you doing here George?” 

It took all of George’s remaining strength to meet Sam's gaze and even begin to formulate a response. He exhaled, figuring he had nothing to gain from trying to cover his tracks now. 

“I don’t know, Sam. I’m sorry I called you here so abruptly, but this is something I need to do and I don’t know when I’ll be able to bring myself to do it again.” 

“That’s okay, George,” Sam offered a weak smile, “I know things have probably been hard on you recently, I want to be here for you if you’ll let me.” 

“I need to see him.” 

“Ar-are you sure you want to do that? I’m in no place to make any observations about your appearance, but you don’t look well and seeing Dream is bound to take a toll on you.” 

Dream. He thought, that’s why I’m here. 

“I need to see him Sam. Please.” 

His last word was a broken whisper, a sign of weakness he’d fought so hard to suppress. But he was here, and the thought of Dream chained somewhere in such close proximity stopped him from taking Sam’s advice and running in the opposite direction. 

The desperation and longing evident in his eyes was convincing enough. Sam asked him to wait as he readied the portal for his entry. George kept his eyes aimed at the floor as he emptied his bleak inventory into a locker. He made no reaction as Sam splashed him with varying potions or placed him on a honey contraption that propelled him through flowing lava. George knew they’d reached the final barrier when Sam gave him a look that said, “Are you sure about this?” and only continued when George gave him a small smile that signaled a yes. 

The lava drained before him, making a gentle hissing noise and emanating warmth as George approached the solitary cell that stood before him. The wind was knocked from his lungs once it’s sole inhabitant came into view. 

It’s him. 

He’s here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to try to update more frequently!! Just tend to stress about length and the quality of my writing before I post so it takes a lil while.

**Author's Note:**

> Heyyyy??? This is the first piece of writing I've ever done like this! And YES it is very very short but just because I wanted the first chapter to be a brief intro before I did anything longer! I really like writing and I love the whole storyline of the Dream SMP as much as the next person. While seeing the whole prison arc happening a part of me let my mind wander to what it might be like if George decided to make an insane comeback in terms of lore and here we are. I love Dream and George's dynamic and just kinda saw it as an opportunity for me to experiment with other kinds of writing and get some feedback!! If I somehow reach people I will try to continue the story, though I doubt it will be super long, just posting to kinda test the waters. Hope you liked <3


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